Torso support



June 24, 1958 r u 2,839,766

' TORSO SUPPORT Filed March 21, 1955 INVENTOR Lynn 0. Hu/l ATTORNEY United States Patent TORSO SUPPORT Lynn D. Hull, Villisca, Iowa Application March 21, 1955, Serial No. 495,630

3 Claims. (Cl. 5-338) My invention relates to a novel item of household furniture, namely, an upper torso rest for reclining television viewers, especially children who usually prefer to watch television or home movies while lying stomachdown on the floor with their elbow-supported forearms functioning as props for the opposed chin-cupping hands.

This reclining position makes for considerable physical discomfort, because since his line ofvision should be substantially perpendicular to the screen to avoid eyestrain, the thus reclining viewer naturally tends'to throw his head back to an unnatural position. This results in neck and baclg strain and subsequent discomfort. Also, the reclining position mentioned means that the elbows tend to spread or shift outwardly lowering the users head; and further, the elbows become uncomfortable, especially if supported at what amountsto a single point on bare floor or a thin rug.

Therefore, having in mind the foregoing, the invention has for its primary object to provide a device for the purpose specified, which provides a raised, inclined, support for the upper torso from the region of the stomach forward, so that the users head will be so positioned as to put the screen substantially perpendicular to his line of vision without necessitating a throwing back of the head; and which device will also provide comfortable confining means for his elbows to prevent outward shifting of same and enable the cupped hands to support and maintain the chin in proper position.

A further advantageous feature of the invention is that 'when the device is in use, it is to all practical purposes anchored to the user for unitary horizontal shifting movement by reason of the fact that a substantial part of the weight of his body is transmitted through his elbows to the elbow confining seat means heretofore mentioned. A youngster is restless and shifty as is well known; but if by leg action he edges toward or away from the screen or in one or the other sidew'ard direction while his elbows are seated in the device, it will accompany him.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device as characterized, which is strong and durable, inexpensive to manufacture, and which can be conveniently stored when not in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will manifest themselves upon reference to the accompanying drawing in connection with the following detailed description thereof.

Although a now preferred example of the invention has been illustrated, as required by the patent statutes, it is to be understood that the same is to be taken as illustrative rather than limitative, since various changes and modi fications may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the subjectmatter claimed hereinafter.

In the drawings, wherein the same reference characters have been used to designate the same parts and'describe the several views Figure 1 is a perspective view of a torso support embodying my invention;

2,839,766 Patented June 24, 1958 Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, my novel support is generally designated by reference character 6, and preferably takes the form of a shell-like stamping which may be produced from plastic, metal, or the like, although it may be otherwise constituted.

In carrying out the invention, as illustrated in the drawing, the shell-like body 6 provides the-side walls 7, forward end wall '8 and the top wall 9, which latter inclines downwardly in the direction of the floor-adjacent rear end 10.

Figure 1 shows that the body 6 widens in the direction of the front wall 8 and provides at each side adjacent its forward end the seats or depressions 11 which receive the users elbows and the adjacent portions of his upper arms. The seats 11 have the outer arm and elbow-confining walls 11a, as shown.

From the foregoingit will be understood that the user lying stomach-down on the'fioor will have his chest and the upper region of his stomach resting upon the inclined top wall 9, with his elbows and the adjacent portions of his upper arms seated in the seats 11. Thus a firm support is provided for the cupped chin-supporting hands, and the users line of vision as the result of the elevation of the forward part of his torso will be substantially perpendicular to the screen without necessitating an .unnatural; throwing back of the .head; In this way I avoid thepossibility of eyestrain and at the same time obviate physical discomfort that would arise from the necessity for a throwing back of the head to bring the screenpresented images into proper view.

The device can be made in different sizes and the stamping form of the body 6 involves an outward slant of the side walls 7 and end wall 8, so that several. of the units can be nested together for storage when not in use.

Regardless of other dimensions the device will prefer:

ably provide for an elevation of five inches or more above the floor level at or adjacent its forward end 8.

If desired, the elbow and arm-receiving pockets 11 can be padded as at 12, using sponge rubber, or the like, to prevent elbow discomfort.

The foregoing will doubtless sufiice to set forth the manner of use and advantages, along with the construction of the item, and as mentioned earlier herein I do not limit myself to the particular example illustrated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. As a new article of manufacture, an upper torso support for the reclining flat-on-his-stomach television or home movie viewer for supporting him with the screen substantially perpendicular to his line of vision, and comprising an elongated and relatively stiff load-supporting body for shiftable disposition on the floor and having a raised forward end adapted to be directed toward a television or moving picture screen, the major portion of said body inwardly of its sides being transversely smooth and increasing in depth from a point which is at'least near its floor-adjacent rear end and extending in the direction of its raised forward end and toward the screen to be observed, whereby to provide an upwardly inclined top surface-provided torso support between and inwardly of the body sides, and a depending rearwardly extending pocket-like elbow and adjacent arm portion-receiving and confining seat at each side of the forward portion of said inclined torso-supporting top surface and each of said seats providing elbow-confining side walls and a bottom wall, whereby the user can comfortably lie stomach downward with chin cupped in his hands and watch the anchor the support and user together for unitary horizontal user leg-induced shifting movement so long as elbows and seats are engaged.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an upper torso support for th'e'reclining flat-onhis-stomach television or home movie viewer for supporting him with the screen substantially perpendicular to his line of vision, said support comprising a relatively stiff load-supporting body of a width exceeding conforming to a predetermined torso width for shiftable disposition on the floor and having a raised forward end adapted to be directed toward a television or moving picture screen, said body increasing in depth throughout its width from a point which is at least near its floor-adjacent rear end and extending in the direction of its raised forward end and toward the screen to be observed, whereby to provide at least an upwardly inclined and transversely smooth chest or chest and stomach-supporting top surface inwardly of the body portion sides and occupying the major portion of said body width, and a depending and rearwardly extending pocket-like elbow-receiving and confining seat at each side of said body adjacent its forward end, each of said seats providing side walls and a bottom wall, which latter is inclined toward and communicates with said top body surface at the rear end of the pocket, whereby the user can comfortably lie stomach down with chin cupped in his hands and watch the screen with the latter at least approaching the perpendicular to his line of vision, the said elbow seats further functioning to anchor the support and user together for unitary horizontal user leg-induced shifting movement so long as elbows and seats are engaged.

3. As a new article of manufacture, an upper torso support for the reclining fiat-on-his-stomach television or home movie viewer for supporting him with the screen substantially perpendicular to his line of vision, said supt 4 r port comprising an elongated and relatively stiff loadsustaining body for shiftable disposition on the floor and having a raised forward end adapted to be directed toward a television or moving picture screen, said body increasing in depth throughout its width from a point near its floor-adjacent rear end in the direction of its raised forward end and toward'the screen to be observed, whereby to provide an upwardly inclined transversely smooth torso-supporting top surface occupying the major portion of the width of said body, and an elbow spreadpreventing 'means at each side of the forward portion of said torsosupporting top surface and comprising rearwardly extending and depending open topped elbow-receiving pockets which communicate with the top body surface at their rear ends, whereby the user can comfortably lie stomach downward with chin cupped in his hands and watch the screen with the latter substantially perpendicular to his line of vision, the said elbow spread-preventing means further functioning to anchor the support and user together for unitary horizontal user leg-induced shifting movement so long as elbows and seats are engaged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Sept. 16, 1926 

